Is It All A Dream
by Shannon Smith
Summary: When Shannon wakes up to her dream come true, she is amazed and scared at the same time.  She fits right in, and she has everything she could ever want, but Shannon can't help worrying, is it all a dream?
1. Lost

Chapter One ~ Lost

Inaudible whispers cascaded down upon my ears, stolen from the leafy archway towering above me. Lightly, I rested my palm on the rough bark of a tree, breathing in the clean air. A brook babbled away in the distance, I could hear water running over pebbles, the sound was like giggling. This place settled me, it's tranquil atmosphere making me relax. It smelt damp and mossy, and for some reason, I liked that. Nature was confiding it's secrets in me, and I listened. This magical world was a lost place, lost in the very realms of time, undiscovered by even the greatest of astrologers. This place was trapped in the intricate folds and veins of time, of it's endless universes and complexity, time's unbidden strength and power, this place had no hope of ever being found. But it had been found. By me.

As my feet carried me further into this peaceful forest, I noticed darkness had settled in. Deciding to retreat home, I turned around, but it was just trees and shrubbery. No clue as to what direction I had come from, how had I even gotten here? Suddenly, the plants and sounds became different. Night was taking my beautiful forest, and transforming it into a horror.

I shook with fear, and stumbled onwards. Forward was the only option, but forward into what! Roots snaked along the pathway, tripping me, while animals made sounds terrifying enough to send shivers down one's spine.

The trees were no longer my friends, darkness had possessed them. Slowly, I slouched to a stop, and sat down on the cold, dirty ground. I was going to have to spend the night here. I was going to have to spend, forever here. I was lost with this place, lost in time.


	2. Discovered

Chapter Two ~ Discovered

I woke with a start, to bushes rustling across the clearing I had spent the night in. Hands fumbling, I pushed myself up into a sitting position. Then, a massive hairy man tore through the undergrowth and stood gawping at me.  
>"An' who are ye'? he yelled in confusion.<br>I shook from head to foot. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had just spoken to me. This was real, I pinched myself. Ouch. Well, I wasn't dreaming. But, this meant that I was in the Forbidden Forest, and that only a few metres away, witches and wizards were sleeping, their wands at rest after a long day of magic. Of course I had heard giggling! But it wasn't any stupid, old stream, or pebbles. It was children! Students! Young witches and Wizards! And the whispers, those weren't the trees! Gosh, I was stupid. But how did I know this wasn't some elaborate dream, or some sort of hallucination? The answer was, I didn't. For all I knew, it probably was, but for now I wasn't going to dwell on the fact. I was going to enjoy myself! After all, I was at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was a witch!  
>And with that thought in mind, I fainted.<p> 


	3. Brand New Beginning

Chapter Three ~ Brand New Beginning

This time when I awoke, I kept my eyes closed tight. I didn't want to open them to see the same old green leaves waving down at me, I didn't want to be back in some normal forest, I wanted to be at Hogwarts, but that was impossible. Or, was it? Slowly, I moved my fingers. I felt crisp, smooth material beneath the tips, and I could smell disinfectant and fresh linen. Was I in a hospital! What was happening? There was only one way to find out.

I gingerly opened my eyes just a fraction, and gasped in delight. A crack quickly grew to wide stretched eyes, open as wide they could, as I took in my surroundings. I was lying in a cot-like, white bed. Cautiously, I took my time sitting up, and looked around the rest of the spacious ward. Madam Pomfrey was bustling about the other beds, tutting and complaining about vomit stains and other grotesque things. The rest of Hogwart's Hospital Wing was deserted, but I liked the quiet, it gave me time to take in my circmstances, to come to terms with this strange dream.

Madam Pomfrey turned, noticing I had woken.  
>"Oh! You're up! Much sooner than I expected, but nevertheless! Do you feel alright?" she clucked around me like a Mother Hen.<br>"I'm okay, I think. How did I get here?"  
>"Good good! Take this now, dear. That's a good girl, drink it all up now! It will help you get your strength back! Professor Hagrid carried you here, he found you in the Forbidden Forest! What on earth were you doing in there! It is called the 'forbidden' forest for a reason! I say, students these days…" she was rambling on, as I gulped down the vile potion, I wondered if Snape had made it. I quickly noticed she was waiting for a reply.<br>"Oh, yes, well, I don't actually remember how I got there. You see, I'm new at Hogwarts. But I know all about it!" I chirruped.  
>"So you must be Shannon Smith then! Oh yes, we have been waiting for you to arrive! But the Forbidden Forest, at night! What was Albus thinking! Honestly, sometimes I think he may be losing his rag!"<br>"Wait, what? You were waiting for me to arrive? Why! And what does Professor Dumbledore have to do with this?"  
>She completely ignored my question, instead handing me a thick parchment envelope, and placing some parcels at the end of my bed. Curiously, I opened my letter and smoothed out the crumpled papers sheltering inside.<br>When I fully registered what I was looking at, I almost fainted again. A Hogwarts acceptance letter shone up at my, it was beautiful, perfect, more than I had ever dreamed of.

I squealed in delight, and then I eyed the parcels up. Thoughts racing through my head of what their smooth, brown coverings concealed. I couldn't take the tension any longer, it was almost tangible, as if I could taste it lingering there. I lunged for the first lumpy present and tore the paper off in seconds. Soon, more paper was shredded. After much ripping, and gasping, I had opened every single parcel, and the contents were now spread over my bed.

Spell books, Potion Books, a brand new set of robes with a Gryffindor tie, a pewter cauldron, a potions kit, Gryffindor Quidditch robes, quills, spare parchment, ink, a FIREBOLT, and finally, the best of all, a wand. 10 ¾ inches, Hazel, Phoenix Tail Feather. Perfect. I waved it, and flicked my wrist while shouting "Wingardium Leviosa!", then yelped in surprise when a glass of water rose from my bedside table into the air. I held my breath, watching it hover for a minute, hoping it would stay floating, but the incantation had been broken by my yelp of surprise, and the glass soon fell and smashed. Madam Pomfrey sighed a little, but cleaned up the mess with one, simple wand flick, and started humming as she walked off.

I pulled out my timetable and looked over it, smiling as a scanned the names of familiar subjects. I was so excited to get started on everything! Quickly, I changed into my robes, and red/yellow tie to represent Gryffindor. I was ready for action.


	4. The Golden Trio

Chapter Four ~ The Golden Trio

I exited the Hospital Wing, and strutted proudly down the hall. It didn't matter that I had never actually BEEN in Hogwarts before; I had read the books and watched the movies enough times to know exactly where to go, when, and how to get there. I also knew all of the school rules (though no one really follows them) and the Hogwarts School song.

As I walked, I found familiar faces in the crowd. Neville looking flustered and running, Luna wearing her radish earrings, Fred and George going setting off filibuster fireworks in the corridor, Ginny, staring over at something. I looked in the direction she was staring and my heart skipped a beat, or two. The Golden Trio; Harry James Potter, Ronald Billius Weasley, and Hermione Jean Granger. I almost fainted again. Moving closer, I picked up on their muttered voices. They were arguing about something; the name 'Sirius Black' touched on my ears. Luckily, I knew what they were discussing, so I shakily went over to them.

"Hi, I'm Shannon Smith, Gryffindor. I'm new here" I stuck my hand out.  
>"Hello! My name is Hermione Granger, also Gryffindor. And a third year. What year are you?" she spoke with a haughty smile.<br>"oh, I'm a third year as well" I stuttered.  
>"Brilliant!" Harry grinned "Would you like to hang out with us today?"<br>"Yea, _WE CAN SHOW YOU TO CLASSES AND YOU CAN SIT WITH US AT LUNCH AND IF YOU NEED HELP WITH HOMEWORK I CAN…"Ron was nearly tripping over himself in eagerness.  
>"WE can help you find your way around" Harry spoke calmly, giving Ron a disgruntled look.<br>"Sure! That would be great!" I giggled.  
><em> 

_We continued down the corridor, huddling together because of the freezing cold. Hermione and Harry were talking about Professor Lupin and the other subjects taught at Hogwarts, while Ron lagged behind muttering to himself. I was elated to be here._

_Eventually, we entered the cosy classroom, and took our seats at the back. Professor Lupin bought a tank out from under his desk, and then another, they both contained a Grindylow and a Kappa. Homework was an essay about the differences between the two grotesque water demons. I could not WAIT to get started. This was the best homework ever!_


	5. Explain

_Chapter Five ~ Explain_

The rest of the day passed in a haze, us four flitting from class to class, chatting at every chance we got. The conversations mainly consisted of the way, and time I had arrived at Hogwarts in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. Other topics we chose to touch on were Sirius Black, Snape's curious hostility towards Professor Lupin, and the dread of Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures lesson; in which Malfoy had almost broken his arm, and Harry had flown a Hippogriff.

"So Shannon, tell me again. What do you remember?" Harry whispered to me.  
>We were in the Gryffindor common room; Fred, George and Ginny had a very intense game of Exploding Snap going on, while Neville was frantically writing his essay for Professor Lupin.<br>"I told you Harry! I fell asleep at home, woke up in the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid found me, I fainted, he carried me up to the school, into the hospital wing. I don't know how I got here at all!" I sighed exasperatedly.  
>"Sorry, sorry!" he mumbled.<br>"It's alright, you're just trying to help, but I get sick of repeating the story."  
>"I know how you feel. In my first year I did some pretty amazing stuff and everyone made me repeat what had happened. I…"<br>I cut him off; I knew where he was going with this.  
>"Yea yea, I know! You stopped Voldemort from getting the Philosopher's stone. You also got past Fluffy, the plant thing, those keys, the chess set, the potions riddle, and the Mirror of Erised. Then you woke up in the hospital wing, and Fred and George tried to bring you a toilet seat."<br>"What! How do you know all that! I thought you were new! How can you know!" Harry shouted.  
>"I am new! Well, Kind of!" I cried back.<br>"Explain. Now." Harry slumped back into his chair, and looked at me intently. He was waiting. I had to tell him.  
>"Well" I started, taking a deep breath "There is this woman called J.K. Rowling."<p> 


	6. The Confession

Chapter Six ~ The Confession

"So, there is this, woman, who writes books about us, and gets paid for it?"  
>I sighed. "Yes Ron! I told you that already!"<br>"Just hard to process, is all" the ginger muttered.  
>"Oh Ron, stop being so stupid and depressed! It's no harm done! This woman is probably just trying to make a living" Hermione whispered to a red-eared Ron.<br>"Out of us! That's creepy, and, well, it's just, wrong!" he shouted.  
>"Will you two shut up! Now, Shannon, what's her name again?" Harry inquired.<br>"Joanne Katherine Rowling" I replied.  
>Hermione scrunched up her button nose in frustration.<br>"Never heard of her!" she said, puzzled.  
>"That's a first" Ron mumbled under his breath. Hermione glared at him.<br>"She's a muggle, so that's probably why" I said.

The conversation settled, a lull in the ridiculous bickering that constantly consumed us these days. It was then I noticed Harry raising his eyebrows at Hermione and slightly gesturing to me.  
>Puzzled, I opened my mouth to say something, but Hermione beat me to it.<br>"Ron!" Ron jumped.  
>"What!" he said hurriedly.<br>"I have to finish my Charms homework, and so do you! Let's go to the library, we can work on it together! Come on!" Hermione nervously stuttered, whilst trying to yank Ron out the Portrait hole.  
>I was very confused. What on earth was Hermione doing!<br>"But what about Harry! And Shannon! They haven't finished theirs either! Aren't they going to join us or…." Ron looked confunded.  
>"Hurry UP, you idiot!"<br>One final tug, and they had vanished, Ron's complaints still echoing outside.

"Uh, Harry? What was that about!" I turned towards the messy haired boy in front of me. He leaned closer, but looked down at his shoes.  
>"Well, I wanted to talk to you alone. I asked Hermione to deal with Ron, and now, we're alone. So, I'm going to start talking."<br>I sat in silence watching his face, waiting for him to begin this mystery conversation. He opened his mouth.  
>"It's only been a week since I met you, but already you're my best friend, the prettiest witch at Hogwarts. I love you, and I know we all say that to each other, but I mean it. This weekend is my birthday, and the third years get to go to Hogsmede. Do you want to go with me? We could get a Butterbeer in 'The Three Broomsticks' and we could go to Honeydukes! It would mean a lot to me. Please?" He smiled a cute little smile, and blushed.<p>

I sat there dumbfounded, ecstatic, overjoyed. I wanted to scream out yes, to smile uncontrollably, but it was like I was petrified, I couldn't move for shock!

Finally, my mouth gained movement and I smacked a grin onto my expression. Harry seemed to glow at that point.  
>"Yes, of course! That would be, amazing" I stuttered.<br>"Great" he smiled. "I'll go get 'Mione and Ron."  
>Harry walked off, with a considerable amount of bounce in his step. I could barely contain my excitement! I was going on a date with Harry James Potter, The Boy Who Lived, The One Who Vanquished the Dark Lord, the one who was soon to save the entire world. My best friend. My wizard.<p> 


	7. I Could Kiss You

Chapter Seven ~ I could Kiss you

Later that night in the common room, Hermione kept winking at me and then looking at Harry. I was about to burst from holding in laughter, but I needn't have bothered. The boys were, as usual, completely oblivious to anything that was going on in girl world. Ron and Romilda Vain were in a corner talking, Romilda glaring at me every time she could, while Ron chattered away dreamily to her. I had heard mine and Harry's names floating about in their conversation. Romilda had the biggest crush on Harry. When I pointed this out to him, his reply shocked me.

"You know Harry, Romilda is pretty much in love with you."  
>"Yep. She's weird. She follows me around everywhere."<br>"I worry about her and you. So you don't like her at all then?"  
>"Shannon, listen. I love you. Not Romilda okay?" Harry smiled at me.<br>"Okay, I believe you" I replied meekly.

"You know Shannon, Ron is pretty much in love with you"  
>"EXCUSE ME?" I yelped.<br>"Yep! Loved you from the very start. That's why he's in such a bad mood all the time. He's jealous that you're all mine."  
>"That is so sad. I never knew. Gosh, it all fits though."<br>"The other day he asked if I'd kissed you." Harry said slyly.  
>"What did you tell him, then?" I was dreading his answer.<br>"I said yes, of course. Hermione said she heard him crying in Moaning Myrtles bathroom for hours." Harry's expression had dropped now, he looked upset.  
>"I'm sorry for ruining your friendship." I mumbled quietly.<br>"Don't be. We'll make up soon. He'll get over you." Harry looked into my eyes. I could tell he meant it.  
>"Yea, I guess."<p>

That had been two days ago, and Ron was still depressed. I was beginning to worry, we all were. He still cracked jokes and stuff, but if you looked into his eyes, you could see the sadness. Harry hated seeing his best friend like this, I could tell it hurt them both, but what could we do? Harry said that he loved Ron, but he also loved me, and he wasn't going to break up with me over Ron. Even so, it still upset us all.

But Ron was getting us into trouble. A lot of it, at that. Potions class was the worst, as Snape took it upon himself to use Ron's bad mood and already-aggravated temper to wind Ron up. By the end of every class, Ron's ears were bright red and we usually had to drag him out of the classroom as he fired spells at Snape, and Snape calmly repeated "10 points from Gryffindor, Weasley" as he dodged every spell.

In Potions today I got really sick of it, so, I acted. After Snape passed our table and sarcastically said "How is Potter's relationship with the blood-traitor going, Weasley?", while Ron sat fuming by his cauldron, getting ready to hex Snape, I stood up. Snape turned whirled around and boredly asked me,  
>"And what, dare I ask, are you doing out of your seat, Miss Smith?" he drawled.<br>" Well, Professor Snape, I believe I am standing, as you can CLEARLY see. But I have reason for standing, Professor, and that is to tell you to shut your mouth and stop teasing Ron like you're five, before I hex you so badly you get sent to St. Mungos. Good enough reason for you, I hope?" I said decisively.  
>Then, grabbing my bag, I turned to the others.<br>"Come on you lot, I'm not putting up with this bugger teaching us anymore, Let's go!"  
>Harry, Ron and Hermione quickly stood up, and followed me to the front of the classroom. I turned one last time to face our Potions Master, and the remaining students.<br>" Oh and Professor? Wash your hair, it stinks a little" then I strutted out of the classroom, followed by my trio.

"Shannon, that was incredible, I could kiss you!" Harry Stuttered with glee.  
>I stopped walking long enough to turn around and give him a hard and passionate kiss, where when we broke away, we were both panting.<br>"Sorry Harry, beat ya to it" I winked flirtily.

Ron was looking stunned and in awe at me, while Hermione just gawped. We slumped down in the common room by the fire and laughed and joked until the other Gryffindors joined us. They were ecstatic, we had a party. Surprisingly, I didn't get told off that night, and the party went right on until 2am. We had a blast, and I had never been happier. Harry kept glancing at me and blushing, while I did the same. We had connected, I had been so wound up, I kissed him without thinking about it. We had never made out before, but I suppose there's a first time for everything. Eventually, we decided to ALL sleep in the common room, so we brought all the mattresses down and made a massive bed on the floor, and all snuggled up. I fell asleep watching the light of the fire dance on Harry's face, while he held my hand tight all night.


	8. Mistletoe and Firelight

Chapter Eight ~ Mistletoe

The months had flown by, filled with laughs and tears, kisses and hugs, happiness and glorified new friendship. I was in bliss! No dream went on for months, so I knew for sure I was truly living at Hogwarts! I had originally been worried sick that one morning I would wake up in my hard bed at home, in cold New Zealand, with no life. Never had that happened though, every morning was the same. I would wake up in my dorm, smiling gleefully as I watched the red velvet hangings around my bed flap around in the wind. Hermione liked to open a window in the mornings. She said it made you wake up more refreshed and happy, well Hermione was on to something there. I was relieved to be living the life of a witch, it was better than I had ever imagined. Hermione was my best friend, along with Luna. Fred and George adored me and often joke that if Harry hadn't have gotten me first, they would have. I found it funny, Harry got jealous. Ah Harry, my hot, protective wizard. It still stuns me to think he is mine, and I his, I can barely contemplate why he would like me. I used to dream about him before we even met, I knew him so well, almost better than he knew himself. I also knew his future. Something I had never told him, but I'm sure he suspects it.

I was scared for my Harry, everything he was going to be put through. I could help them. Make them save the wizarding world faster, Fred wouldn't have to die, Neither would Lupin and Tonks. Or Sirius. These people could remain alive and grow old, and I could marry Harry. Ginny would find someone else, most likely Dean. I could save Harry so much pain and strife, I didn't want to see my baby go through all that was to come. But that would change everything, which would change the books, the movies. What was happening now, was it already all messed up? What had my being here done to J.'s magnificent work?


End file.
